125th Field Regiment War Diary, October 1939

1 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Church Parade – C of E, RC, Presbyterian and other Denominations.

Commanding Officer’s inspections at Dykelands Road, Concert Hall and Seaburn Camp.

Troops released from duty 13:00 hours.

2 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. 2nd Lieutenant H W W MacNaught posted to 23rd Signal Training Unit, SCARBOROUGH.

Gas-proof curtains fixed in Orderly Room and Commanding Officer’s Office by 507th Field Company, Royal Engineers.

Training within the Batteries continued throughout the day.

3 October 1939 – Sunderland

Commander, Royal Artillery 23rd Division inspected Regiment in tactical formation without vehicles.

Number 917075 Gunner Ridley W C returned from Commander, Royal Artillery.

Number 911861 Gunner Blyth J attached to Commander, Royal Artillery NEWCASTLE.

Conference of Quartermasters at DARLINGTON attended by Lieut E H Creal, Quartermaster of this Regiment.

Training in Unit continued under Battery arrangements.

4 October 1939 – Sunderland

The Commanding Officer attended Conference held by Commander, Royal Artillery at NEWCASTLE.

Lieutenant Quartermaster and Regimental Quarter Master Sergeant proceeded to CATTERICK.

Training in Batteries; Specialists under respective Instructors.

5 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Training under Battery arrangements continued.

Drill Air Raid Warning 06:30 hours – men proceeded to cover previously allotted.

6 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Lecture given to Officers and NCOs by 2/Lt G C Moor on “Pay and Allowances”

Medical Officer, Col. Weeks lectured 294 Battery on “Personal Hygiene”.

Training continued under Battery arrangements.

7 October 1939 – Sunderland

Medical inspection of “D” men by Col. Weeks RAMC.

Dr. K F Patton attached to this Regiment as C.M.P.

2/Lieut R H Rich and Number 912840 L/Sgt Pearlman P to Army Gas School attending Course at Winterbourne Gunner. Authority : C.R.A’s. G/11/Cses.

Training continued during morning.

Number 924340 Gunner Glendenning F mustered as a Boy.

Number 924340 Gunner Glendenning F released from military duties.

8 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Church Parades, followed by Commanding Officer’s Inspection.

9 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. The Reverend J O’Mahoney attached. Authority : Commander, Royal Artillery 23A/3 dated 9/10/1939.

Training continued under Battery arrangements.

10 October 1939 – Sunderland

Medical Board for “D” men held at Hutton Terrace Drill Hall, NEWCASTLE.

Number 915139 Gunner Coleman M admitted to Royal Infirmary, SUNDERLAND.

Training continued in Batteries.

11 October 1939 – Sunderland

Col. L M Weeks RAMC relinquished appointment of Medical Officer to this Regiment on his appointment as Assistant Director of Medical Services, 23rd Division.

Recreational training 14:30 hours to 16:30 hours.

12 October 1939 – Sunderland

Number 925773 Gunner Harper T W H admitted to Royal Infirmary, SUNDERLAND.

13 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Commander, Royal Artillery 23rd Division visited the Unit and inspected deployment of Regiment and tactical exercise without vehicles.

Recruit Number 929139 Anderson W reported for duty (N.B. this man was attested 11th May 1939, but Army Number not allocated until 10/9/1939.

14 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Medical Examination. Number 929139 Gunner Anderson W medically examined on embodiment and classed “C” – fit for home service only.

15 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Church Parades followed by Commanding Officer’s Inspection.

16 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Training recommenced under Battery arrangements.

Party of Officers and men of 4th Survey Regiment, Royal Artillery, established bearing pickets in neighbourhood of this Drill Hall and Seaburn Camp, for the use of this Regiment.

Number 925604 Gunner Armstrong F removed to Royal Infirmary, SUNDERLAND, suffering from appendicitis.

17 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Training under Battery arrangements during morning.

Civil Air Raid Warning received 13:45 hours. Distant firing heard. “All Clear” received 15:28 hours.

Lecture by Major T Forster of 74th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery on Command Post work.

916778 Gunner Connolly J removed to Royal Infirmary SUNDERLAND suffering from pneumonia.

18 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Training continued during morning.

14:00 hours. 24 Army Class arrived from Newcastle.

14:30 hours. Recreational training.

18:00 hours. 3 more Army Class from Newcastle.

19 October 1939 – Sunderland

13:30 hours. 21 Army Class arrived from Newcastle.

23 Army Class arrived from Newcastle.

Training within Batteries continued during the day.

20 October 1939 – Sunderland

12:00 hours. Commander, Royal Artillery visited Unit and supervised Tactical Exercise – deployment of Regiment without vehicles.

13:30 hours. 14 Army Class arrived from Newcastle.

18:00 hours. 22 Army Class arrived from Newcastle.

66 Other Ranks from 74th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery – Immatures and “C” men.

(This transfer of personnel from the “parent” first-line Regiment to the “second-line” Regiment mirrors what was happening in the Infantry Units. 74th Regiment was included in the 50th Division, earmarked for an early move overseas so the men from that Regiment too young (immatures) or unfit ( C men) for overseas service were transferred out, with the second-line Unit being the obvious place to which they would be transferred.)'Italic text

Medical Officer commenced medical examination of Army Class.

21 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Medical Officer completed examination of Army Class.

Men from 74th Field Regiment interviewed and records completed.

2/Lieut H W W MacNaught returned from 39th Signal Training Regiment, SCARBOROUGH.

22 October 1939 – Sunderland

Church Parades.

2/Lieut E H Rich and L/Sgt Pearlman P returned from Army Gas School, Winterbourne Gunner.

Number 912501 Gunner Slater G R of 74th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, returned from CATTERICK Hospital.

Number 923087 Sgt Ross E S proceeded to Army Gas School, Winterbourne Gunner.

23 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. The following men proceeded to RICHMOND, Yorkshire, for Cooking Course :-

Number 924014 Gunner Smith T

Number 913851 Gunner Procter S

Number 923103 Gunner Goodfellow S P

Number 900725 Gunner Peverley W

Number 917074 Gunner Cook R W

Number 902353 Gunner Marlborough J J

Training continued under Battery arrangements.

24 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Number 925778 Gunner Lawrence J H admitted to Monkwearmouth and Southwick Hospital following accident between Army vehicle and Sunderland Corporation Omnibus at Seaburn, SUNDERLAND.

Number 914828 Gunner Cummin J admitted to Royal Infirmary, SUNDERLAND.

Number 4442217 Sgt Roberts C W H discharged from Royal Infirmary, SUNDERLAND.

2/Lieut G C Moor lectured to 124th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery at NEWCASTLE on Pay question.

Training continued under Battery arrangements.

25 October 1939 – Sunderland

Number 918460 Gunner Brooks T F discharged from Royal Infirmary, SUNDERLAND.

Training continued under Battery arrangements during morning.

Recreational Drill proceeded during afternoon under troop arrangements.

26 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. The following men were admitted to Royal Infirmary, SUNDERLAND :-

Number 901973 Sgt Dobinson J

Number 2649783 Gunner Smith C

Number 919821 Gunner Walker G

Number 912382 Gunner Nixon T S M

Number 925790 Gunner Dickinson

Training continued under Battery arrangements.

27 October 1939 – Sunderland

Number 925778 Gunner Lawrence J H discharged from Monkwearmouth and Southwick Hospital, SUNDERLAND.

295 Battery engaged in deployment of Battery and tactical exercises without vehicles, Officers of 294 Field Battery acting as critics.

28 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. The following men proceeded to School of Artillery, LARKHILL :-

Number 923106 Sgt Morgan W L

Number 917876 Sgt Davison J B

2/Lieut D Laws.

Notification received at 11:00 hours of arrival from Royal Artillery Reception Centre, SANDOWN PARK of 18 Other Ranks.

Training continued under Battery arrangements.

29 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. 18 Other Ranks arrived at this Headquarters 05:30 hours.

07:55 hours. Order to “Stand By” received from Commander, Royal Artillery 23rd Division.

09:40 hours. Church Parade as usual but on receipt at 09:50 hours of further message from Commander, Royal Artillery, all ranks returned to Billets, where Church Service was taken by Reverend C Budgeon.

09:45 hours. Further message received from Commander, Royal Artillery to be ready to move within two hours of receipt of message “to move”.

Entire Regiment confined to Billeting Area.

30 October 1939 – Sunderland

18:00 hours. Order to “Stand by” still in force, and training in consequence took place within the billeting areas.

The undermentioned proceeded to undergo Course of Instruction in Signalling and Wireless at Headquarters, 23rd Divisional Signals, DARLINGTON :-

Signalling Course

2/Lieut M L Guiney-Walsh

Number 755836 L/Bdr Jeffrey W P P

Number 919805 L/Bdr Gibson L

Number 917078 L/Bdr Wilson R B

Number 900758 L/Bdr Scott J H S

Number 922206 L/Bdr Telford E

Number 917869 L/Bdr Davis D

Wireless Course

Number 1937253 Sgt Mitchell H W

Number 923045 Bdr Clingley E

Number 916827 L/Sgt Pearson J W

31 October 1939 – Sunderland

09:45 hours. Order for troops to be ready “to move” at 2 hours notice cancelled as far as this Unit is concerned.

Notification by telegram of attachment of Lieut Buckley RAMC as Medical Officer to this Unit received.

Training continued under Battery arrangements.

Appendices attached to October 1939 War Diary of 125th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.

Unfortunately, unlike other months, the lists referred to in the body of the War Diary were not included as Appendices, so the names of men transferred in, or recruited via the Army Class arrangements were not documented in the War Diary itself and no references to attachments were made.

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